Auction Grading System Information

[supercamper]

Auction Grading System Information

Here is a brief rundown on how the grading system works at most auction houses. Note that they do vary slightly from auction to auction.

TAA (Toyota Auto Auctions) auctions are very strict, and even grade 3's can be v. good quality (like my td06 skyline was!).

LAA auctions however are a bit lax, and can let rough ones pass as grade 4! (on occasion). They are a tiny minority though.

Grade Description

* S - A new car
* 6 - A new car
* 5 - Almost new
* 4.5 - Excellent condition
* 4 - Very good condition.
* 3.5 - Good condition
* 3 - Minor damage (scratches or dents), slightly rough condition.
* 2.5 - Very poor condition
* 2 - Bad condition, possibly some serious mechanical or body fault
* 1 - Water-damaged or hail-damaged car
* 0 - Serious problem or terrible condition or serious technical fault with engine or similar
* A - Accident vehicle
* RA - Accident Repaired
* *** - Accident, not repaired (still damaged)
* R - Repaired or modified (quite often both)
* R/1 - Very highly modified example (these are quite rare)
* R2 - Repaired to grade 2 standard
* R3 - Repaired to grade 3 standard
* R4 - Repaired to grade 4 standard





External condition report codes:

A - Scratch mark
* A1 - About a thumb's width or smaller
* A2 - About a palm's width
* A3 - Larger than A2

U - Dent

* U1 - Thumb's width
* U2 - Palm's width
* U3 - Larger than U2

AU: Scratch and dent
S - OXIDE/Rust
C :CORROSION
X : BROKEN - needs replacing
Y :CRACKED
W :REPAINT
W1: Repainted, very well, can't notice difference (very good job)
W2: Repainted, can tell repaint if look closely (average job)
W3: Repainted, obvious, not so good job. (rubbish job)
N :LACKING
XX: Part changed / part has been replaced

PW :POWER WINDOW
AC :AIR CONDITION
AAC: Automatic Air Conditioning
AW :ALLOY WHEELS
PS :POWER STEERING
AB :AIR BAG
ABS : ABS
SR :SUN ROOF
RC :RADIO CASSETE
NAVI- TV :NAVI- TV
ET:EMERGENCY TOOLS
JA :JACK
ST :SPARE TIRE

[Squeak]

Always good to know this kind of thing, especially when looking at importing and reading the auction sheets

[supercamper]

Always good to know this kind of thing, especially when looking at importing and reading the auction sheets

Remember I can get them fully translated too at most of the auction houses, though not quite all.

Even a second inspection is possible at some of the auction houses (the big main ones).

Generally from this you can have a pretty good idea of a car. The only bit that may not be decipherable (without translation) is the bit in the bottom left corner of the auctino report (the danger box!). Obviously if you get it translated you would find out EVERYTHING on the report.

Jap characters / writing in the bottom left had box is telling you what is wrong with the car, e.g. whats been replaced, whats faulty, whats dirty, whats broken.

The box in the middle and the top right has the modifications and selling points.